The Bulletin of Congregation Ner Tamid, October 2003

Cop$re?ati?p Ner Tain id tdd u The Reform Jewish Congregation of Las Vegas ...A Special Place to Belong October 2003 Vol. XVII No. 9 5 TISHREI / 5 CHESHVAN 5764 Sanford D. Akselrad Jennifer C. Weiner Philip Goldstein Scott Stolberg Rabbi Associate Rabbi Cantorial Soloist President MENSCH OF THE YEAR Irv Duchowny Jacqueline Fleekop Lois Bergman Laura Bailey Executive Director Education Director Preschool Director Bulletin Editor There is almost no star of stage, screen or sport who has not come in contact with the special warmth and charisma of Bernie Yuman?s incredible personality. And because of this, he is being honored as Congregation Ner Tamid?s ?Mensch of the Year? at a black tie dinner at Caesars Palace on November 22, 2003. The Yiddish word ?mensch? is used to describe a person who is honorable, decent, good hearted, has character, and is highly admired. Each of these describes but one fact of Yuman?s persona. Dinner chairman Michael Unger said Yuman is an active member of Ner Tamid and is being honored for his extraordinary ger ?Yuman has done a lot for Congregation Ner Tamid in a quiet and generosity. respectful way,' said Unger. ?He has also been involved with many other community and philanthropic organizations throughout his life. He is a mensch in every sense of the word and we take great pride in honoring him for all he has done for our Temple, for those in the Las Vegas community, and across the country.? Yuman is widely known as the longtime manager of Siegfried & Roy. After 28 years together, he is most proud of his tenure as their manager and the opportunities given him in producing television, animation, and movies about their life and career. Among his peers and business associates, Yuman is recognized as one of the most among such y Baldwin, Mayor uscar Goodman, Brian Greenspun, Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Terry Lanni, Dan Marino, Michael Milken, Irwin Molasky, Jim Murren, Senator Harry Reid, Jerry Weintraub, and Steve Wynn. Yuman and Ali have been friends for 41 years and he has been Ali?s manager for the last four years. On his way to Los Angeles, he stopped in Las and negotiated a new contract making th In the ensuing years, lie has nurtured their career and helped make them nbassadors ot Las Vegas around tne world. Yuman founded Las Vegas-based SAY Entertainment in 1976. In 2002, he became a partner in BOX Entertainment, a management and production company that is involved in many areas of the entertainment industry. \ m---------: ------- ifts are being annual Mensch ar executive and developer Ed Nigro. Tickets are $250 per person or $2,500 for a table of ten. All ticket information is available through the temple office at 733-6292. Yuman began as a manager in the music industry in Miami Beach. ? _ Vegas and saw Siegfried & Roy. Within the week, he became their manager and them the highest-paid specialty act in the history of the city. It iconic ambassadors of Veqas the A silent auction precedes the five-course dinner. According to Unger, many unique dinners, jewelry items, and other donated including a pair of boxing gloves signed by Ali. This is Congregation Ner Tamid?s second ensch dinner honoring an outstanding individuaffrom the community. Last year?s honoree was Las Vegas gaming Premiering on Saturday, October 18th, the Men?s Club will be sponsoring a very special Holocaust photo exhibit from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm. This remarkable exhibit is touring the United States as a gift from the people of Denmark. It's first showing was last year in Washington D.C. and was a huge success! We are also honored to welcome back Regina Hirsch as our very special guest speaker on the opening night. We are hoping the entire community will take advantage of this opportunity to remember the events of the Holocaust and the courage of the Danish people to help save its own Jewish citizens. The exhibit will be at CNT for one month and is open to the public at no charge. VThe next morning, October 19th, at 9:30 am, the Men?s Club Breakfast will feature Howard Blitzer as a guest speaker. Howard lived in ?Denmark during the time of the Holocaust and is a vibrant speaker on the Danish role in WWII. Come be educated and intrigued as *jou are taken back to Denmark, 1943. Make plans to attend both FREE events - they promise to be a very special experience for all! a special place t o belons Worship Services Conducted By Rabbi Sanford Akselrad, Rabbi Jennifer Weiner; and Cantorial Soloist Philip Goldstein Friday October 3 6:30 pm Tot Shabbat 7:30 pm Services & Yahrzeit Plaque Light Dedication Oneg sponsored by Scott & Sandy Stolberg Saturday October 4 9:00 - 10:00 am Bible Study 10:00 - 11:00 am Minyan And Torah Study Rabbi Akselrad's Message To life! To Living! A New Year?s Wish This article appears during the Aseret Yemaei Tshuvah - The Ten Days of Awe. Traditionally it is a time of great introspection and reflection. The great metaphor of the Book of Life hovers over us as a reminder of the fragility of life. We are urged to ask ourselves, ?Where were we last year? Where are we now? And where are we going?? Sunday October 5 Erev Yom Kippur 6:00 pm Family Service 8:15 pm Kol Nidre Late Service Monday October 6 10:00 am Morning Yom Kippur Services 10:00 am Youth Services 2:00 pm Healing Service 3:00 pm Afternoon Services 5:00 pm Yizkor 6:00 pm Concluding Services Friday October 10 The Hasidic tradition tells of the story of a man who was absent minded. He couldn?t remember even the simplest things such as where he put his clothes! To resolve the problem he decided to make a list of where he put everything. He noted on the paper that his pants were at the foot of the bed, his eye glasses by the side of the bed, his shoes were in his closet and so forth. He then went to bed and had his first good night sleep in years, unfettered with the concern that he would not be able to find his possessions the following day. When he awoke he found the piece of paper and was able to locate every article of clothing. At first he was overjoyed. And then he began to sob. ?God Almighty. I know now where all my possessions are. But I have forgotten who I am and where I am!? 6:00 pm Sukkot Family Dairy Dinner 7:30 pm Family Service with the Shabbatones -Saturday October 11 10:00 am Sukkot Morning Service Friday Oct 17 7:30 pm Shabbat Services Simchat Torah and Consecration Saturday October 18 In our daily lives we get so busy it is all too easy to lose sight of our life?s direction. We fail to develop ourselves personally, and we fail to nurture and maintain important primary relationships. It is easy to get into a rut. To not set personal goals or ignore goals that we have already set because we are afraid of failure. We teach our children the importance of learning from their mistakes, but as adults we somehow feel that we are immune from that same advice. The High Holydays remind us of the importance of growing as individuals. Of stepping beyond the confines of our fears, and into the realm of the unknown. 10:00 am Shemini Atzereth Yizkor Services Friday October 24 7:30 pm Shabbat Services Leah Yaffe Bat Mitzvah Oneg sponsored by the Yaffe Family Saturday October 25 9:00 - 10:00 am Bible Study 10:00 - 11:00 am Minyan and Torah Study Friday October 31 7:30 pm Shabbat Services Office will be closed in observance of Nevada Day Saturday Nov 1 9:00 - 10:00 am Bible Study 10:00 - 11:00 am Minyan and Torah Study 10:00 am Rebecca Zuckerman Bat Mitzvah And too, it is also easy to get sidetracked by the holding of grudges for slights either real or imagined that have transpired during the year. Parents no longer speaking to children. Children no longer speaking to parents. Siblings no longer communicating. This is not what Judaism seeks. And yet, for too many this is the nature of their lives. Someone has to make the first step. Towards wholeness and holiness. There are those so trapped that they lead lives but never truly live their lives. If we are truly to be written into the Book of Life, we must first write ourselves into the Book of the Living. As the great sage Hillel once said, ?If I am not for myself who will be for me? And yet if I am only for myself what am I? And if not now, when?? May this be a year of growth for us all. A year filled with sweetness and joy. L?shana tova tikateyvu - May you be inscribed in the book of life for a happy and healthy New Year! Rabbi Sanford Akselrad Congregation Ner Tamid October 2003 Temple Board Members Bcott Stolberg President Wilan Mann VP Administration Hillary Torchin VP Education and Youth Maxine Molinsky VP Ritual David Shapin VP Membership Recruitment Jordie Primack VP Membership Retention David Stahi VP Social Action Debbie Levy Treasurer Yvonne Gordon Corporate Secretary Cecilia Schafler Trustee Michael Unger Trustee Marla Letizia Trustee Stacey Yahraus Trustee Bernie Matusow Trustee Beth Bromberg Trustee Beth Falk Trustee Fern Percheski Sisterhood President Howard Layfer Men's Club President Kelly Chenin NTTY President Dr. Stewart Blumenfeld Past President Drew Levy Past President Bob Unger, Esq Past President Jerry Gordon, Esq Past President Cal Lewis Past President Eileen Kollins Past President Kenneth Schnitzer Past President Dr. David Wasserman Past President Dr. Steve Kollins Past President Hon. Michael Cherry Past President Dr. Bernard Farrow Past President Eugene Kirshbaum * Past President ^avid Goldwater * Past President mabbi Sanford Akselrad ?abbi Jennifer Weiner * Deceased Ex Officio Ex Officio Leadership Workshop Series Presented by Sisterhood Sharpen your skills, network and learn from others. The first workshop, Ethics in Leadership, led by Rabbi Weiner, will be October 26, at 2:00 PM at CNT. RSVP to the Temple office by October 19. Save these dates for Additional Workshops: January 23-24 Past President?s Shabbat (Friday) and Forum (Saturday) March 21 Subject and Speaker TBA June 11-12 Weekend Retreat TBA Watch your Temple Happenings and Bulletin for more information! As you read this, we are in the period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Every year, during this time, we all reflect and speak directly with G-D. If you are like me you find time to examine your shortcomings and decide which ones you would like to tackle this year. Sometimes these things are ways in which we think. Several years ago during this period I reflected on the work I was doing for the temple. I have a business background and was always looking at the temple budget trying to see where we can cut expenses. However, the Rabbi always said we are in the business of making Jews. So I started to think, sometimes you have to invest money on the front end so the final product comes out on the back end. However, I still wanted to cut expenses. I can tell you today that I was wrong and right. First and foremost we are in the business of growing and nurturing Jews. It starts with our programming for the young, our seniors and everyone in between. It is our religious school and our adult education. It comes from our social action and outreach projects. The board of trustees long ago set a policy of accepting all members without regard to ones ability or inability to support the congregation financially. Today we still hold this goal sacred; we are here to make Jews. But it does take money to run a synagogue and ours is no exception. The board of trustees, the treasurer in particular, and our executive director constantly scrutinize our outlays and make sure we are not spending any more than deem necessary. We have an excellent staff, a beautiful building, and programs that are second to none. Here are many different ways that each one of us, no matter what your means, can give to the temple financially. You can make a donation in a tribute for a friend or relative for a birthday, anniversary or whatever you would like to honor, or buy a permanent memorial marker. You can support our annual Kol Nidre campaign, become a Menorah Level Donor, and participate in fund-raisers like gift-wrap or the Mench of the Year. You can contribute to the building fund so we can build a Center for Jewish Life and Learning here in Las Vegas. If you have any questions about these programs and campaigns please contact the temple office - they will be happy to answer your questions. So as we consider the year that has just past, and as we start planning for next year, decide where and how you might help us produce our product: by educating involved Jews; by providing some of the money it takes to get the job done. I would like to thank Bob Unger who was this years Kol Nidre Chairman. As he did an excellent job, we all appreciate his effort. Last month I asked you to get involved in temple happenings that are part of the process of creating Jews. CNT has produced a lot of Jews and we can continue as long as we have ALL the ingredients. La Shana Tovah Scott Stolberg A Special Place To Belong JUST A ^ As I write this, it?s August. It?s hard to believe how fast summer is going by. High Holiday Choir rehearsals began in mid-July and everyone is working diligently to be prepared for the Holy days. I?m sure as you read this, you?ve no doubt enjoyed the Rosh Hashana service and the wonderful sound of the choir. I want to thank them and Peter Bugel for all their hard work. I look forward to next year and some new musical selections that I have planned. If you are interested in joining the choir please do so now!! (You know it?s a mitzvah to sing in the choir at CNT and it?s fun tool). Also I want to thank the teen choir and Lori Frankl for all their hard work at the Family Service. Also, by now you have no doubt heard the Shabbatones. Their new season began Sept. 12. What a great group and I am privileged to be singing all the wonderful music. I sound so much better because of their musical talents and I appreciate them all for their time, efforts, and energy to make the Shabbatones what it is today. And of course, I would like to give a special thanks to my wonderful accompanist Lillian Kollar. I feel so blessed to have her accompany me on the piano, and to be such a nice person too... you can?t ask for more. She is a shining star. Thank you all for your wonderful talents and I look forward to a splendid new year of music here at Congregation Ner Tamid. I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year! Many people ask, ?What is outreach?? Outreach is a program at our temple, and also nationwide, that provides a forum for families who have members who are not Jewish to learn about Judaism. Our programs are centered around the Jewish holidays and are often crash courses on how to celebrate the holidays, learn the terms, and understand what is being done at services and in the home. It is also a means for families and individuals who are interested in Judaism to find out about the beauty of our religion. But we need your help. Please let all your friends who need to know about Outreach, about our programs. Also, let us know about your friends. We will contact them and let them know that when they attend a program or a service, they will be among friends. Shalom, Philip OUTREACH Are you interested in learning more about Judaism? Do you have a friend, spouse, partner, or relative who keeps asking you questions about Judaism? Do you know someone who wants to become Jewish? Then this class is for you and them! Join our Conversion Class if you are interested in becoming Jewish or would just like to know more about Judaism. Call Congregation Ner Tamid at 733-6292 and make an appointment with Rabbi Weiner to speak with her about Conversion Class. This class is not just for Jews-by-Choice. This class is for everyone! CONVERSION CLASS Save the date: The next Outreach program will be December 7. It will focus on Channukah and the December Dilemma. Details to follow! ADULT HEBREW Do you sit in services and wish you could tell an aleph from a bet? Would you know a tav if you saw one? If you don?t know the answers to these questions or want a refresher course, then this Hebrew class is for you! Call the temple office and sign up for Adult Hebrew. Thursday nights beginning October 16, 2003. --------------------------------------------------------- Congregation Ner Tamid October 2003Executive Director's Message The Most Exciting Time of the Year! This is a very exciting time of year to be at temple. As you read this, we?ve got our Pre-K class well under way, our Religious School has started off to another successful year, we?ve had a successful membership drive and of course, we?ve had the commencement of our High Holidays. I want to take this opportunity to give special recognition and thanks to our wonderful, tireless office staff: Mary, Roberta, Karen, and Angie. Between the various activities, mailings, printings, proof-reac gs, answering the constantly ringing phones and questions, and general ?customer service? that they provide to all of our congregants, I want everyone to know just how special these ladies are, and how lucky we are to have them here with us. We are surrounded by our friends, family, and fellow congregants who all care about our temple, our Judaism, and each other. We are fortunate to have each other, our health, and the wonderful staff here at CNT. Look around you, appreciate what you do have, and enjoy the present while we look forward to a wonderful New Year. Show your love, your appreciation, your care, for each other. And, if it?s in your hearts, please also show your support of your temple - there are so many ways that we can all use your help. Be it time, donations, or energy, know that you and your family are appreciated. Continue to allow us to work hard for you during this, the busiest and most exciting time of year. Thank you for making CNT a Special Place To Belong, for today and for tomorrow. to be continued........ CNT Staffs Email Addresses: Irv WE MUST NEVER FORGET CNT Men's Club presents Regina Hirsch's story "The Holocaust Happened" on DVD for only $18. You can order it via the Temple office 733-6292 or www.cntmensclub.org Rabbi Akselrad, Sr. Rabbi Rabbak@lvnertamid.org Rabbi Weiner, Assoc. Rabbi Rabbijen@lvnertamid.org Philip Goldstein, Cantorial Soloist PGoldstein@lvnertamid.org Jackie Fleekop, Ed. Director JFIeekop@lvnertamid.org Lois Bergman, Preschool Diretor LBergman@lvnertamid.org Karen Levine, Rabbi A's Admin. Asst. KLevine@lvnertamid.org Roberta Unger, Admin. Asst RUnger@lvnertamid.org Mary Zone, Receptionist MZone@lvnertamid.org rv Duchowny, Exec. Director IDuchowny@lvnertamid.org Angie Coleman, Bookeeper AColeman@lvnertamid.org A Special Place To Belong Congregation Ner Tamid Preschool/Kindergarten By Lois Bergman Early Education Director It?s hard to believe that the High Holy Days are almost behind us and fall is just around the corner. We are all getting acquainted with our new school friends and teachers. Our students will be celebrating the Columbus day Holiday (all about those 3 ships) and the History of our great State of Nevada on the 31st, the day we were admitted to the union. Last month was a very busy one here at the preschool. It was a pleasure watching the children say the blessings over ?Apples Dipped in Honey? as they savored each bite of the sweet holiday treat. Our youngsters all got to blow the Shofar ( Ram?s Horn) and it was delightful to hear the sounds these little ones made from this traditional instrument. We made Shana Tova Cards for our parents and even our friends and wished each other a hearty L?Shanah Tova Tikatevu. The children had a taste of the round challah with raisins and we all said we are sorry to each other for things we had done that were not so nice last year. We said we would be kind to each other and our parents this new year of 5764. Our classes took the traditional Tashlick walk to cast away our sins. It was sure an interesting experience hearing how each of these 2-5 year olds expressed their feelings of hope and renewal this most holy time of the year. Our classrooms are filled with exuberant and delightful youngsters who enjoy coming to school and sharing a learning experience with their peers and dedicated teachers. Our staff is proud of the accomplishments of our students in this first few weeks of school. The children are all learning their ABC?s, numbers, letters, shapes, colors, and how to use a scissors, pencil, and glue. We are all enjoying computer, music and Spanish. Next month we will be preparing for Thanksgiving and our annual Thanksgiving Day Feast. Lois Bergman - Early Education Director IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR! Time to reserve your booth for Sisterhood?s annual Chanukah Bazaar. This year?s bazaar will be held Sunday, November 16, 2003 from 11:00am - 2:00pm in the Social Hall. There will be fun for the entire family: home cooked food, games for the kids, raffles & door prizes, and unique venders like yourself. The perfect holiday shopping experience! To reserve your space, or for more information, please contact Arlene Kagan @ 307-8982 or Darlene Vaturi @ 869-3989 Dust off your pans and break out your best recipe! It?s time for Sisterhood?s annual Ms. (or Mr.) Noodle Kugel Contest. Men, Women, even Children, compete to become the reigning Kugel Queen (or King) for 2003. This year?s contest takes place at the annual Channukah Bazaar on Sunday, November 16. Unfortunately, if you have won in the past you are NOT eligible to enter this year. However we would love you to participate as a judge! For more information, contact Maxine Gratz @ 898-3592. Congregation Ner Tamid Sunday Morning Pre-kindergarten Begins October 12th We are very excited to announce our new Sunday morning program for children who are not yet old enough to attend Religious School Kindergarten . The program will run from 9:15 - 12:15 on Religious school Sundays Children will enjoy singing, playing, doing arts and crafts, learning about the Jewish Holidays and traditions, and having fun at the same time. We will even be doing some cooking with the class. Moms and Dads stay to sing and play with us, or for children over 3 years of age, you may have some "Sunday Morning Free Time" while your older youngsters are attending Religious School here at Congregation Ner Tamid. Call the Temple office @ 733-6292 and ask for Lois for more information or to sign up. Class size is limited. October 2003 Sisterhood Men?s Club News News You may wonder what this shared vision is, but I ask you instead, what is your vision? How do you see Sisterhood today, and what would you like Sisterhood to become? I am confident that our answers will be the same. At our third annual board retreat, the ?Sweet 16? gave up a Sunday to strategically plan for the future of CNT Sisterhood. We would like all of you to be part of that plan. As we start out this new year we invite you to join us at our monthly Sisterhood Board meetings. They are held at 7:00 pm on the second Thursday of every month. Learn about the individual committees, their goals and their challenges. Learn how and where you can help and be a part of this vision. You must be wondering about the strange pictures at the bottom of this column. The earrings and links are Symbolic of the day - the bonding, nurturing and caring nature of who we are. Ask me or any of the ?Sweet 16" to tell you the story.... you will enjoy it. Denmark 1943 - It is October 1943. The final solution is being implemented. Throughout Europe, Hitler has ordered the complete annihilation of the Jewish people. Only one country refused to cooperate with this horrific plan. Only Denmark is able to help save its Jewish citizens. Men's Club is proud to bring this story to Las Vegas and Congregation Ner Tamid. We will be sponsoring a very special photo exhibit opening on Saturday evening, October 18th. The exhibit will be here for one month and will be open to the public at no charge. It has been sixty years since the events in Denmark and this remarkable exhibit is touring the United States as a gift from the people of Denmark. It first opened last year in the Capitol Building in Washington, DC and was an immediate success. We are hoping that the entire community will take advantage of this opportunity to remember the events of the Holocaust and the courage of the Danes. On Saturday evening we will have its premiere. The next morning, Sunday, October 19th at 9:30, the Men's Club breakfast will feature Howard Blitzer who lived through Denmark 1943 and will give us a personal account of his experiences. We invite the entire Congregation to attend both events as they promise to be a special experience at our special place to belong. Along with the exhibit, Jackie Fleekop, our religious school director, will be coordinating visits by children from throughout the Las Vegas area. Don?t forget, our paid up membership function is this month! There?s just a few days left for you to be assured of a spot at the event. For more information, contact Laura Bailey or Sandy Stolberg. Wishing all of you the happiest and sweetest of New Years, filled with peace and goodness. Fern Percheski Our Sweet Sixteen Women at the Sisterhood Retreat These events have been made possible by the annual sale of Yom Hashoah candles. I am very proud that Men?s Club has embraced the idea of Holocaust education and remembrance. Last year we sponsored a very moving visit with Regina Hirsch. Her story is available on a DVD produced by Men?s Club that can be purchased at the temple office. Membership Dinner- In a survey of our members conducted by Joel Charon, one of the most frequent comments was that we should plan more activities that are just for fun. We are listening. Our membership dinner will be Sunday evening, November 23, and it promises to be a great night. It will not be speeches, it will not be pleas for you to get active, it will be food and entertainment. We have tentatively scheduled a dynamite evening. I cannot say more until it's finalized, but save the date!! You won't want miss this exciting evening which is free for all paid up Men?s Club members. Howard Layfer A Special Place To Belong The links and earringsSEE WHAT YOU MISSED LAST MONTH Congresswoman Shelley Berkley shared with our Congregation what is presently going on in Israel. Her speech was both insightful and inspiring. Visitors From Home! Stewart and Sharna Blumenfeld spent the first half of August visiting friends in Israel. Among the friends they were able to see was CNT congregant Cookie Olshein, who recently gave up her law practice in Las Vegas to enter Hebrew Union College and begin training for the rabbinate. All HUC students take their first year of training on the HUC campus in Jerusalem and Cookie reported to Sharna and Stewart that, while she misses Las Vegas, she is very happy there. Having just arrived in Jerusalem, Cookie has not yet had a chance to explore much of Israel. Becoming acquainted with the sights, sounds, tastes, and historical sites of the Jewish homeland is very much part of the training of budding rabbis. She and her classmates will soon begin traveling around the country in addition to putting in many hours of classroom study. She has a small apartment very near the HUC campus, which in turn is very near the Temple Mount in the heart of the city. Cookie says that as soon as she has time, she will put up a web site to allow all of her friends to follow her progress through this important time in her life. Cookie?s class of 71 rabbinic and cantorial students comprises slightly more than half women, ranging in age from 49 years down to the early twenties, and is about half and half with regard to marital status. She will begin her second HUC year at the Los Angeles campus next summer. The picture shows Stewart and Sharna with Cookie on SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE NEWS In our August article we discussed the objectives anc^^ goals of your committee which has as it?s cornerstones^P Mitzvot, Tzedek and Tikun Olam. Many of our wonderful projects were listed and we hope you will continue to support them. While our efforts do make a difference in many people?s lives, we feel we could do so much more. Our committee membership is strong - on paper. Many committee members help make our projects succeed. However, we are always open for new ideas on how Social Action can make more of an impact in our community. Therefore, we encourage everyone to attend our committee meetings held on the last Monday of each month. As we go forward into the New Year, we want to thank those individuals and organizations that have assisted in our successful projects. We encourage Congregation members to make suggestions that will foster the objectives of your committee and we invite you to join us. In closing, I wish to thank Rabbi Akselrad for his encouragement and support, David and Bette Stahl for their encouragement and Maxine Molinsky for her dedication and leadership as Social Action Committee Chair. Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year. Michael Rissien Social Action Chair C^MITZVAH MENORAH PROJECT^ The Social Action Committee is again sponsoring the Mitzvah Menorah Project for needy Jewish children where people ?adopt? and purchase Chanukah gifts for them at Sisterhood?s annual Chanukah Bazaar on Sunday, November 16, 2003. If you know of any Jewish families who could be helped by this project, please call Sue Levinsky at Jewish Family Services - 732-0304. All information will be held in the strictest of confidence and names will be known only to Jewish Family Services. Shalom, Gloria Fenster Mitzvah Menorah Chairperson Social Action Committee Deadline for the December 2003 Bulletin Monday October 20th @ 5 PM Deadline for the January 2004 Bulletin Monday, November 17th @ 5 PM Please email articles to CNTBulletin@cox.net October 2003% Religious School News Growing up in Pennsylvania I loved October. The month brought the change in the leaves making the trees golden and red. November winds took the leaves away, but I had fun rolling down hills into a pile of them. I did this until I moved to Nevada eighteen years ago. (If you know me, you know this is true because I plan never to grow up). October is still my favorite time of year, even here in Las Vegas, because of the break in the hot weather. If you ask any of the students in our religious school what their favorite holiday is, I am sure they would answer Chanukah or Passover. My favorite holiday is Sukkot - I love decorating the Sukkah and sharing dinner with my friends at CNT. Our Sukkot Family service has become a premiere fall event. Every month at CNT, our calendar is filled with activities. This month the calendar includes the usual, Tot Shabbat & Shabbat services. This year, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Consecration and the Men?s Club exhibit from Denmark, as well as the Havurah Happening, will take place in October. For our students seeing the Torah rolled out and the new children consecrated is the highlight of the month. The leaves do not turn in Las Vegas like they do in Pennsylvania, but they do turn. Torah turns, life does too, and learning goes on at Congregation Ner Tamid. B?shalom Jackie Fleekop HESED COMMITTEE The Hesed committee is being reformed. What is the Hesed committee? It is the committee that helps those who are in need of extra caring. Through this committee we will be visiting congregants who are in the hospital, arranging rides for those who do not drive at night, and letting those who are unable to come to temple know that we are thinking of them. How can you help? We need members to join the committee. We also need you to keep us informed. If you know of a member who you think would benefit by a visit or that extra phone call, please let us know. A little hesed (kindness) goes a long way! For information on how you can help, contact Elaine Burke @ 658-9834 or 501-0314 (cell). Young Adults There is nothing like a good cup of coffee or a good friend. Well, on Sunday, August 10th, several young adults met with the man who plans to marry them or has recently married them, Rabbi Sanford Akselrad. The event was hosted by the ?Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf? owned by Jeff Fine. The coffee was great; the friendships blended immediately like cream in a great cup of coffee. Before it was time to break up the coffee, tea, etc. group, they were speaking about a young married or soon to be, couples Chanukah Party. The planning has begun for more couples to attend and more events to take place. Our special thanks